Decision-Making Responsibility and Parenting Time

Core principle: the child’s best interests
Parenting arrangements are determined based on the best interests of the child. The focus is on the child’s needs, safety, stability, and well-being—not parental “rights.”

Key terms

• Decision-making responsibility (formerly custody): Who makes important decisions about the child’s education, health, religion, and overall well-being. This may be joint or allocated in specific areas.
• Parenting time (formerly access): The time a child spends in each parent’s care, including day-to-day responsibility during that time.

Common parenting issues addressed in agreements or orders

• Regular weekly schedules and holiday schedules
• Vacation and travel arrangements (including passports and consent)
• Communication rules between the parents and with the child
• Exchanges and transportation
• Methods for resolving disagreements (mediation, parenting coordination, etc.)
• Terms addressing safety concerns where applicable

Family violence and safety
Courts consider any history of family violence, coercive control, substance misuse, or other safety concerns when assessing parenting arrangements and may impose conditions to protect the child and a parent.